Tool for pressurizing shipping containers



Sept. 28, 1954 M. M. CUNNINGHAM 3,690,284

TOOL FOR PRESSUR-IZING SHIPPING CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 9, 1950 4% LQTM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED srarss PATENT OFFICE 7 2,690,284 TOOL FOR PRESSURIZING SHIPPING CONTAINERS Marion M. Cunningham, Woonsocket, R. 1., its-- signor to United States Rubber Company New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 9, 1950, Serial No. 199,990

2 Claims.

they are made from flexible material, e. g., rub

ber coated fabric, to permit them to collapse when empty. This is especially true when the contents are other than liquids. To be able to roll, stack and handle these flexible walled containers like rigid containers, I pressurize them with about to 5 pounds per square inch internal gas pressure. This stiffens the flexible side walls, thus permitting the containers to be handled like rigid drums.

To facilitate pressurizing the flexible containers in this manner, it has been proposed heretofore to use a check valve in the closure plug so that the gas could be introduced into the container but would not flow back out when the pressure hose is removed. Closure plugs containing check valves must be especially prepared for the flexible containers, which adds to the inconvenience and expense of using them.

It is the principal object of this invention. to provide a tool that will permit pressurizing flexible containers through a standard threaded closure plug containing no check valve. This is done by using the plug commonly used heretofore as bungs in 30 and 55 gallon metal shipping drums, and by introducing the gas through the clearance that exists between the threaded opening and plug when the plug is in an untightened position. The tool, of course, is not limited to use with flexible containers, but is also suitable for introducing gas into any container having a standard plug.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a sectional view of the tool of the.pres ent invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of thetool;

Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view of the tool as applied to a closure plug;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the closure plug of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of an alternate form of closure plug.

In general, the tool of the present invention consists of a special wrench which has means for engaging the closure plug to loosen or tighten it, sealing means ofrubber or rubber-like material for sealing off a gas' tight space around the plug, and an orifice in the wrench for admitting 'g'a under pressure to the sealed-off space.

The wrench and the'sealing means together form a cap which fits over the plug with the sealing means engaging the surface of the container around the plug to provide a gas-tight space. The orifice allows gas under pressure t be admitted to the closed-off space.

In use, an operator merely applies the tool to a'plug, gives it a slight turn to loosen the plug if it has already been tightened, applies the nozzle of the filling hose to the orifice and fills the container with gas. A lication of the nozzle with pressure against the tool compresses the sealing means to provide a gas-tight seal between the wrench and the surface of the container so that. the gas supplied by the hose is confined in the cap to flow through the thread'clearance of the loosened plug intothe container. When the container is filled and the air begins to escape from around the nozzle due to back pressure, the wrench is turned to tighten the plug. To prevent the gas from escaping it is necessary to keep the hose nozzle in contact with the tool until the plug has been completely tightened to seal the filler opening.

The tool is particularly useful in pressurizing flexible shipping containers of the type disclosed in my co pending application, Serial No. 144,523, referred to above.

In using this type of shipping container, the threaded closure plug is removed completely from the container so that the container can be filled with the particularliquid or powdered material to be shipped therein. After the container has been filled with such material, the tool can be used to rep-lace the closure plug. The plug, however, is not completely tightened, but is left in a loosened condition. While the tool is still engaged with the loosened plug, the nozzle of an air or gas hose is applied to the orifice of the tool and the container is ressurized as explained plug to confine the gas in the container and then removed.

Referring to the drawing, the tool, generally designated by N, consists of a fiat disk shaped metal plate I l having an orifice l2 therethrough and a handle [3 coextensive therewith. Two diametrically opposed lugs I extend from the bottom of the plate at right angles thereto so that the plate ll, handle [3 and lugs l4 form a wrench. The lugs l4 may be cast integral with the plate I l or may be made separately and rigidly fastened to the plate by any suitable method such as by welding, or by screws extending through the plate. A cylindrical gasket or sealing ring I 5 made from a readily deformable elastic material such as rubber or rubber-like material projects from the bottom of the plate I l and is held securely to the plate by a flange [6. Flange I6 is made integral with the plate II by being welded thereto. The gasket [5 has a bead I! which fits into a complementary groove ill in the flange IE to lock the gasket in place.

Fig. 3 shows the tool of Figs. 1 and 2 as applied to a closure plug. The closure plug which is generally designated by I9 and the fitting for the plug generally designated by form no part of the invention and are merely shown and described for the purpose of illustration. The plug [9. is shown in partial section in Fig. 3 and in plan view in Fig. 4. It is externally threaded as indicated at 2|. The plug is provided with a cup shaped recess 22 into which two diametrically opposed lugs 23 extend and which are adapted to be engaged by the lugs 14 of the tool as will be later described. A rubber gasket 24 is carried by the plug near the top thereof and serves to seal the closure when the plug is tight ened. The fitting 20 that receives the plug consists of an internally threaded bushing 25 having a flange 26. The bushing 25 fits into an opening in the wall 2! of a container such as a barrel or drum with the flange 26 engaging the inner wall of the container. A J-shaped ring 28 holds the threaded bushing in the wall by having the outer end of the bushing 25 crimped thereover. The fit between the threads of the plug is and the fitting 20 is made loose and when the plug is loosened and breaks the sealing effect of the gasket 24, there is sufl'icient clearance between the threads to allow passage of gas therebetween. Once in place, the fitting 20 including the ring 28 becomes essentially an integral part of the wall 21. Obviously other types of fittings could be used and in some instances where the wall of the container is made sufficiently thick and strong the fitting can be entirely eliminated by forming the threads in the wall material itself.

As can be seen in Fig. 1 the plate H and the gasket I5 form a cap which when applied to the plug l9 as shown in Fig. 3, fits over and surrounds the plug. The lugs M of the tool extend into the recess 22 of the plug and the gasket or sealing ring l5 of the tool engages the surface of the container around the plug. When the plate II is turned by applying a torque to the handle l3, the lugs 14 of the tool engage the lugs 23 of the plug and the plug is loosened thereby. After the plug is sufficiently loosened to break the sealing effect of the gasket 24' of the plug, the nozzle 29 of a gas supply hose 30 is applied to the orifice l2 of the tool with sufiicient force to compress the gasket I5 of the tool to provide a gas-tight seal. Gas is admitted through the orifice by pressing a valve 3| on the nozzle 29 of the filling .hose 30. Gas entering through the orifice I2 is confined in the above described cap to flow through the thread clearance between the threads of the loosened plug and the fitting into the container. When the container is filled, the tool is rotated to tighten the plug and then removed.

Fig. 5 shows an alternate form of plug generally designated by 32 upon which the tool I!) may be used. This form of plug is made solid with the exception of two blind holes 33 which are provided in the top thereof. The lugs I l of the tool fit into these holes so that the plug may be loosened thereby. After the plug 32 is loosened, the container is filled in the same manner previously described in conjunction with the plug l9.

It is to be understood that the above description and accompanying drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and not by the way of limitation and changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A tool for introducing gas into a container having a threaded closure plug and for operating the plug to tighten and loosen the same, comprising a cap adapted to fit over the plug, means rigidly secured to the cap in the interior thereof for engaging the plug whereby rotation of said cap will tighten or loosen said plug, a sealing gasket carried by the periphery of the cap to provide a seal between the cap and the surface of the container around the plug, said cap having an orifice through the top thereof against which the nozzle of a filling hose may be pressed to admit gas through said orifice into the interior of said cap and to force the sealing gasket into intimate contact with the wall of the container so that gas admitted through the orifice is confined within the cap and forced through the thread clearance of the loosened plug into the container.

2. A tool for introducing gas into a container having a threaded closure plug and for operating the plug to tighten and loosen the same, comprising a cap adapted to fit over the plug, means rigidly secured to the cap in the interior thereof for engaging the plug whereby rotation of said cap will tighten or loosen said plug, said cap having an orifice through the wall thereof through which fluid may be introduced into the interior of said cap, and a sealing gasket of readily deformable elastic material carried by the periphery of the cap to provide when pressure is applied to the cap a seal between the cap and the surface of the container around the plug so that gas introduced through the orifice will be confined within the cap and forced through the thread clearance of the loosened plug into the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 173,093 Wells Feb. 1, 1876 1,028,373 McCaslin June 4, 1912 1,524,042 Lemoine Jan. 27, 1925 1,927,170 Hornar Sept. 19, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 329,382 France July 30, 1903 105,915 Germany Oct. 14, 1899 361,625 Germany Oct. 17, 1922 

